Many people contend with spine issues as a result of age, disease, and trauma, as well as congenital and acquired complications and conditions. While some of these issues can be alleviated without surgery, other issues necessitate surgery. Issues with the spine such as decompression and stabilization can be addressed with spine implants. One type of spine implant is placed within the interbody or disc space once disc tissue has been removed. The interbody implant is typically secured to one or both of the upper and lower vertebrae. Bone graft may or may not be used with the interbody implant for vertebral fusion, which stops all movement between vertebrae.
The purpose of an interbody implant is to maintain disc height between vertebrae to help prevent nerve compression, restore and preserve the natural alignment of the spine, and promote spinal fusion. In some cases the interbody implant may be a holder or carrier for fusion/graft material. In other cases the interbody implant may stand alone to provide structural stability.